This week my team interviewed more than 20 people, everyone from VPs down to the analysts and clerks. The interviews were a gold mine of insights – especially since we were still in the early days of the project collecting data. My throat was killing me, but these interviews helped us get our bearings on the client’s business, the personalities, and the politics. Every consulting project has interviews and here are my top interviewing tips:
1. Be prepared
It’s no different than if you were going to a job interview for yourself. Do the research. Know the audience. It’s painful to watch a consultant lose credibility when he asks questions that can be answered by the FAQ on the website:
- What are the company’s key products, customers, competitors?
- What is the title, background of the interviewee?
- Where does the interviewee’s function sit within the larger organization?
- What the 3 most important events (ERP launch, acquisition) in the last 12 months?
- How would you describe the company’s strategic positioning?
Management consultants usually create interview guides. It helps us prepare for the interview, but also forces us to organize our thoughts. It is usually a simple list of well-organized questions. Yes, great practice for analysts.
2. Build rapport quickly
Building rapport is a core skill of any management consultant. It comes easier to some than others, but the idea is simple – build a connection with the interviewee so she is comfortable speaking frankly. It is nothing new. All the things you would find in How to Win Friends and Influence People (affiliate link) by Dale Carnegie:
- Demonstrate credibility (it’s worth their time to talk with you)
- Respect their time (punctuality, clarity, explain the objective of the interview)
- Mirror their energy level and perspective (e.g., ops vs. finance vs. strategy)
- Uncover clues, data, insights together; collaborate NOT interrogate
- Let the conversation breathe; be a human, not a business robot
If this is an area you would like to improve, practice. Seems odd, but sales and business development people were not all born that way. It takes a lot of emotional intelligence. Everyone’s is different, but there is a lot you can learn by watching partners and senior managers. Be authentic, but inviting. Be willing to share details about yourself – it is disarming and makes you more human. Be self-deprecating, when appropriate.
2a. Be likeable, be yourself
You would not be in client service – consulting – if you were not somewhat presentable (heh, heh). So be yourself, be an active listening monster. Listen to understand. You are here to make a client, reference, network for life.
3. Start with open-ended questions
The first few questions should allow the interviewee to say what she wants to say. See where the conversation takes you.
- “Why do you think there has been a problem with XYZ?”
- “What are some changes you would like to see?”
3a. Have a point of view
Depending on the project scope, and timeline, you may want to be more direct in your approach. Have hypotheses (from your research, previous experience, interviews of SME, understanding of the situation) and use your point of view to guide your line of thinking. Namely, don’t waste time lobbing too many open-ended questions (see #3 below), which inevitably lead to talk of best practices and averages. Boring and not effective.
4. Hone in on the details
Like a detective, once you hear something promising – either a surprising fact, or confirmation of your hypothesis – ask follow-up questions:
- “How long would you say that XYZ process takes you?”
- “How often does that happen each week?”
- “Where could we get an extract of that data?”
For consultants, it is not enough to get a laundry list of problems (client will say, “yeah, I knew that already”). Nudge the interviewee to give numbers or estimates that provide more detail and context. If you hear of a report, or presentation that has the information – get a copy of it right then or get it sent by email (perfect time for business cards).
5. Transition between topics
This is where the art comes in. Junior analysts have a tendency to run down the interview list, as if they were calling off BINGO numbers. This can be unnerving and feels dogmatic. The trick is to create a conversational tone while listening to the interviewee’s answer (while also writing down notes), and also making smooth transitions between the topics:
- “Sure, that makes sense. Would you say that XYZ is the main reason for that?”
- “Has it always been that way? Has anything changed organizationally?”
- “Understood. Does it make sense to take a look at costs next?”
Thinking back to our high-school prep days, English composition teachers chided all of us for the lack of transitions between paragraphs. It is as if I would talk about A, then B, and C. . . but there was no stitching between the topics.
Create a narrative to keep the conversation going. Don’t make it an awkward first date. Refer to things already said in the first half of the interview. Refer to similar comments made from other interviewees (no names). If the interviewee feels that you listened to what they said, you are getting buy-in for your recommendation as you go. If the interviewee feels like you just stormed in and made them answer 20 questions, you have just created a skeptic, and perhaps an unfriendly.
6. Earn the right to continue
An interview should be a conversation, not an interrogation. While it might be slightly more efficient to just blaze down the list of questions, the interviewee will get defensive, and just give you short, one sentence answers. You will be winning the battle, but not the war. With each question, your demeanor, confidence, and empathy will determine whether you are earning the right to continue the interview: a) they remain engaged and feel interview was worth the time, or b) they start mentally checking out (checking their watch, rolling their eyes, tapping their fingers, itching to leave).
Relevance to Case Interviews
This is where many MBAs do poorly in case interviews. MBAs know the basics of business problems, structure their thinking well, and even can do market sizing (read: # of meter maids in NYC) in their head. What they do poorly with is keeping the interview conversational and building rapport.
The BCG / Accenture / Bain interviewer is asking herself, could this MBA effectively handle an interview with a super-jaded, war-horse of interviewee? How would this “kid” fare against a 57 year-old who has been doing Materials Management for the last 20 years? A lot of this has to do with emotional intelligence and keeping the interview conversational.
What if #1: Interviewee is scared
This happens. There are all kinds of projects, and sadly, some of them end with layoffs or worse. It helps to:
- Confirm that you will be speaking with a lot people, not just him
- Ensure confidentiality of comments (and be sure to keep your word)
- “Prime the pump” by offering up some of the comments from other interviews
- Focus the conversation on the existing process (less on the solution)
- Ask what they would like to see changed
What if #2: Interviewee is rude or a jerk
First, be deferential and offer to re-schedule the appointment (we all have some bad days). Figure out if it is a credibility issue because she/he thinks all consultants are full of crap – in which case you may need to do some name dropping of the executive sponsor and also refer to projects you have done in the past. If they are a hater (some exist), then just ask open-ended questions and listen. Let them vent, and at least you can say that you fielded their opinion. Worst case, you can professionally and politely end the interview, don’t let them badger or disrespect you.
What if #3: Too many interviewers
This happened on Tuesday. There were 4 consultants interviewing 3 people. In order to keep from tripping over ourselves, and having the conversation go in 12 directions, we had a lead interviewer.
What if #4: No more questions to ask
Wrap up the interview, summarize some of the comments, and end early. Always ask “Is there anything I did not cover, that you might think it relevant to this issue?” It is a freebie question.
What if #5: Cannot remember what was said
This is why it is critical to write up the interview notes as soon as possible, and have them passed to other people who were in the interview. They can layer on comments, and hopefully, little detail will be lost.
It’s also a good habit to ask permission to reach out to the interviewee again – if additional questions come up. Get their business card and don’t hesitate sending a thank you follow up email, if you believe it is appropriate.
What if #6: Not a good place to interview
No such thing. I have interviewed in board rooms, hospital exam rooms, warehouses, airports, and sadly, utility closets.
Ask good questions
We conduct interviews on every project – without fail. People want to be heard. It is also a chance to socialize some of the recommendations. It is like the wisdom of the crowds. . . after hearing the diverse opinions of people through interviews, you will have a better recommendation. Once, a partner told me, “If you tell the client what they told you, they think you’re brilliant.” Very cynical, but also very true.
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